


The Hopeful Place

by Serahne



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Comedy, Gen, Humor, Keeping everyone IC is part of the fun but I'm not taking this thing as seriously as usual, Light-Hearted, Though the plot will be different I'm mostly following the first episode and I work from here, the good place AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-22 21:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14317842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serahne/pseuds/Serahne
Summary: “You selflessly offered your life to mankind, and you used your talents to make the world a better place. Hajime Hinata,” Jin Kirigiri, Hope's Peak Academy Headmaster, said, very seriously. “It’s time for the universe to pay you back.”It shouldn’t have felt like a threat but, somehow, it did.





	1. Everything is fine

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, welcome for a lighter, funnier project of mine that I've started after watching 'The Good Place'. You don't have to know anything about the show to enjoy this fanfic, but I do think the story isn't going to be read the same way by people who did watch it. That said, I hope to be able to update this fiction every week, as a little challenge for myself.
> 
> Don't hesitate to let feedbacks, it's always heartwarming !

The smell of freshly baked bread could only be described as heavenly. It was a smell he had been lucky to encounter years ago, when he was still a child : everyday, his mom would come and pick him up from school, and they would walk home together, coming across this lovely little bakery where he always begged her mother to stop, not even to buy something, just to enjoy the cosy atmosphere, the smile of the nice lady at the counter and… and yes, the smell of the bread, browning in the oven.

 

And then, when Hinata was ten, his dad got a job in the city, and they had to move away. Years later, when Hinata had visited a friend, the bakery was closed, having been unable to rival the prices of the new supermarket. It was a shame, he had thought, mourning this part of his childhood, that was now gone forever.

 

Or so he had thought.

 

Hinata opened his eyes.

 

“ **WELCOME,** ” spelled the letters, painted on the wall, in front of him, “ **EVERYTHING IS FINE** ”.

 

He blinked, unsure about how he was supposed to react. He looked around, finding himself in what looked like a doctor’s waiting room, uncomfortable seats and neutral color schemes on the walls included. The only differences were the curious absence of a) flyers bragging about a new revolutionary medicine for erectile dysfunction b) a bunch of children running around like a headless chicken. 

 

All in all, it was  _ better _ than your average waiting room. And it smelled so, so much better.

 

As he was beginning to wonder what he should do next, the door on his left opened, to reveal a middle-aged man, with a bright, accomplished smile and an impeccable suit. He nodded politely in Hinata’s direction.

 

“Hajime Hinata, is that right ?” He raised an eyebrow and, without waiting for his answer, gestured for Hinata to enter the office behind him. “Nice to meet you, my name is Jin Kirigiri. You must have a lot of questions, and I’m here to answer them. Come on in, the seats inside are a lot more comfortable.”

 

After a few seconds of hesitation, Hinata obeyed, and walked into Jin Kirigiri’s office - a spacious, clean, and full-of-light room where one immediately felt at ease. Maybe he had been slightly wrong, and it wasn’t a  _ doctor _ office, but a  _ therapist _ ’s. The only flaw in this logic was that people like Hinata, who actually needed their money to pay for food, couldn’t afford to blow so much money on therapy.

 

“Well, here we go,” Jin Kirigiri said once they were both seated. He looked straight at Hinata. “I know I’ve said I would answer your questions - and I will - but I hope you’ll forgive me to start, since I know that every situation is different : can you please tell me what you remember before you appeared inside the room you were just in ?”

 

“Appeared ?” Hinata repeated. He did try to remember about his day. “I… I don’t know. I remember that my mother was trying to call me - she really wants me to be home for New Year. I was… at the supermarket, I think ? The one near the cemetary.” 

 

His memories were blurry and confused, and he honestly had no idea how he had travelled all the way from the supermarket to this… doctor’s office.That didn’t make any sense. You couldn’t just… walk in and have a doctor’s appointment, right ?

 

Kirigiri leaned forward to reach Hinata’s hand and offer him a compassionate pat, then straightened up, suddenly a lot more serious.

 

“See, that’s what I was worried about. You’re young - wait, how old are you already ?” He asked curiously, reading from a file on his desk.

 

 _A file about… me_ _?_ Hinata was always more confused. “I’m twenty-two.” 

 

Kirigiri sighed, and shook his head. “This is going to be unpleasant - for the two of us, mind you - but there is no reason to dwell for too long.” He took a deep breath, and Hinata almost felt the need to brace himself for a punch in the face. “Hajime Hinata, I’m sorry but you died on march 13, in a car accident.” The man’s face lightened up when reading the date. “Friday 13th, uh. What a coincidence. I like that.”

 

Hinata froze, then looked around the room, trying to notice hidden cameras because… that  _ had _ to be a prank, right ? And there was no way he would let anyone make an ass out of him on national television.

 

“Right,” Hinata said slowly. “If you say so.”

 

Kirigiri grimaced.

 

“You don’t believe me.”

 

“Oh, no,” Hinata replied with an eye roll - he was disappointed to not see any camera from where he was but... “I do believe you. I’m dead, and all. That does make total sense.”

 

The poor man’s shoulders sagged, and Hinata almost felt terrible for ruining something that had obviously asked for so much preparation. Maybe he should have just played along, and made the other feel better, but Hinata had never been that selfless that he would humiliate himself for a perfect stranger. He was about to suggest he should take his leave, when Kirigiri snapped his fingers.

 

“Nanami !” He called.

 

Hinata frowned, but before he had the chance to ask what the hell a ‘Nanami’ was, a girl materialized just a few feet away from him. She had a very singular appearance : pink hair, pink eyes, and a rigid stance that didn’t seem human at all. When she turned toward Hinata with a friendly smile, he felt a nervous shiver run through his body.

 

“No need to be afraid,” Kirigiri said. “Nanami is an AI. She won’t do anything to hurt you, even if I ask her to. Not that I’m going to ask her to hurt you of course, I just meant that…”

 

Hinata interrupted him.

 

“What. Is. This.” He asked, sounding a little more angry than he was, just so he could hide how scared and confused he was. “What is… she ?” He pointed at the girl.

 

“As Headmaster Kirigiri just told you,” the girl replied, and Hinata found out with horror that she wasn’t blinking at all, “My name is Chiaki Nanami. I’m an AI, and my role is to help the inhabitants from this place. I fulfill requests, give informations, and help newcomers when they arrive here. Can I help you with anything ?”

 

“ _ No _ ,” Hinata said.

 

“I’m going to need some tea, Nanami.” Kirigiri said with a tired smile.

 

Nanami nodded, and immediately, a cup of tea appeared on his desk, along with some brownies and cookies. “Earl Grey, no sugar, just like you like it. I added a few extras, because you really need to eat, Headmaster Kirigiri.”

 

“You’re an angel, Nanami.” Kirigiri replied, a lot more grateful than one should be for brownies in Hinata’s opinion, then snapped his fingers once more. “You’re dismissed.”

 

After a small bow, Nanami… disappeared.

 

Hinata felt like he was going to pass out.

 

There was no way there was a hidden camera.

 

“Where… Where I…” He stuttered, still not completely recovered from his meeting with Nanami. “Where am I ?”

 

Kirigiri took a sip of tea before answering.

 

“Well… the Afterlife, I suppose ?” He replied with a tilt of his head. “I’m not keeping up with human religion, but this is the generic word for it, right ?”

 

“Hum. Right.” Hinata coughed a little, embarrassed by his next question. “Okay, let’s say that this is… the… Afterlife… and that I’m really dead...”

 

“Oh, you are.”

 

“ _ Anyway _ , if I am really dead… does that mean that I’m in Heaven or… ?”

 

Kirigiri’s smile widened some more, and Hinata was worried it would soon swallow his entire head. He pushed a plate with a brownie in it toward Hinata.

 

“Please, take a bite, and tell me where you think we are.”

 

Curious, Hinata tentatively took the spoon the headmaster offered him, and digged into the brownie. He didn’t expect anything, and certainly not the explosion of chocolate on his taste buds. It was warm, it was rich, it was half-melting in Hinata’s mouth, and he barely held back a contented moan when his lips closed around the spoon.

 

Kirigiri watched him, amused. “Yes,  _ yes _ , I know. This is one of the perks that comes with this place and, dare I say, my favorite.”

 

“So,” Hinata said, after swallowing his piece of paradise ( ha ) ! “I’m… I’m in Heaven, right ?”

 

How could something that good be from anywhere else ? Kirigiri’s look turned thoughtful, and he rubbed his chin, obviously trying to find the right words to explain Hinata.

 

“No one uses the word ‘heaven’,” he eventually admitted. “I know you don’t have any strong religious belief, so that might be a little easier for you to swallow, but religions… are mostly wrong.” He drank some more of his tea. “They aren’t  _ completely wrong _ , mind you. Christianism, Islam, Buddhism… most of them had at least 5% truth in it, believe it or not !”

 

“Uh,” Hinata replied, not really knowing what to say. “So I guess no one down there knows what happens after you die ?”

 

Suddenly, Kirigiri’s face lightened up and he laughed - almost  _ chuckled _ really, and it was strange to hear this sound coming from a middle-aged man. “Oh, right ! Actually, one person knows a lot about what’s going on here, it’s Yasuhiro Hagakure.”

 

Hinata frowned. “Who ?”

 

“Yasuhiro Hagakure,” Kirigiri repeated with solemnity. “He is a celebrity here. Two years ago, he got high on some… indian drug during a party. And while they were completely baked, one of his friends asked him what could the Afterlife be like, in his opinion…”

 

“And he got it right ?” Hinata guessed, surprised.

 

“Well, only around 30% right,” the headmaster smiled. “Still. Impressive. We were listening to him from here, you should have seen our faces.” Kirigiri shook his head. “Anyway, he is quite the celebrity since then. We even have a petition for him to be accepted in our side of the Afterlife going around, no matter how much of an useless piece of junk he is on earth.”

 

“Here ?” Hinata perked up. “This is not heaven but it’s… the place where good people go ?”

 

“Pretty much, yes. See, the Afterlife is divided in many, many categories, but the main ones are the Hopeful Place and the Despairing Place.” Kirigiri smiled brightly at Hinata. “And you happen to be in the best part of the Hopeful Place, Hajime Hinata. Congratulations, you are in Hope’s Peak Academy !”

 

Hinata blinked, something warm pooling in his stomach, as if he had done something more than dying stupidly in a car accident.

 

“You… you’re sure ?” He asked. “Wow, that’s… wow.”

 

“Are you that surprised ?” Kirigiri replied. “Hope’s Peak only selects the most talented people from earth. Everyone here is as exceptional as you are. We know everything about you, Hajime Hinata. So young, and yet so influential in the search of diplomatic solutions in the Middle-East.  Someone whose art changed hearts, and brains, and the world, ultimately.” He sighed. “Truly, Hope’s Peak is honored to have you among their ranks, and I hope you’ll enjoy your stay here.”

 

Hinata froze.

 

 _What ?_ _How ?_

 

“Anyway,” Kirigiri changed the topic, apparently unaware of Hinata’s internal panic. “I’m sure you must have a lot of questions, but I thought you might want to see where you are going to live now, right ? Hope’s Peak Academy might look like a school, but your living quarters are better than what you might find in a  _ real _ school.”

 

“Oh,” Hinata replied, feeling like he had switched the auto mode on inside his brain. “That’s good. I guess.”

 

“And…” Kirigiri offered a few seconds of suspense to his announce. “We also made sure that all of the people in here have a roommate as talented and amazing as them. Your roommate is already there, and can’t wait to meet you, what do you say ?”

 

“Hum,” Hinata said.

 

Kirigiri grinned, and held his hand for Hinata to take it.

 

“You selflessly offered your life to mankind, and you used your talents to make the world a better place. Hajime Hinata,” he said, very seriously. “It’s time for the universe to pay you back.”

 

It shouldn’t have felt like a threat but, somehow, it did.


	2. Sharing Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata meets his roomate.

While Headmaster Kirigiri was dragging him all over the Academy, pointing at places, telling him names that he forgot immediately, Hinata thought how strange it was for Heaven - or… whatever that place was - to be a  _ school _ . Especially since Hinata had only escaped high school a few years before his death. It was… quite the setback.

 

“Is it ?” Kirigiri raised a surprised eyebrow when Hinata told him so. “While I can see why your average person would think that, aren’t you the one who fought for the education of children in Africa and in the Middle East ? One of your most remarkable success, if I may add.”

 

Hinata cringed a little at that.

 

“Uh, right. Sure. It’s super important for children to go to school.” He said. “It’s just that I’m not a child anymore.”

 

Kirigiri nodded seriously.

 

“But aren’t you the one who said, when you received your nobel prize, that you took pride in learning everyday of your life ? What were your words, already ? I can’t remember…” The man frowned, then looked at Hinata, expectantly.

 

“Well.” Hinata replied.

 

Kirigiri snapped his fingers, a big smile on his face.

 

“Oh, I got it.  _ Anyone thinking that they reach the final point of their educational crusade will fall under the weight of their own certainty. _ Such inspiring speech ! I can tell you it moved me, for it’s exactly what I believe !” 

 

“Oh,” Hinata replied, with a tight smile. “You’re right, that does sound like something I would say, haha. I guess that’s why Heav… the Hopeful Place looks like that, isn’t it ? Because I love schools... so much.”

 

Kirigiri looked at him with something like pride in his eyes, and Hinata wondered if praying for the ground to open and swallow him up had any chance to work now that he was…

 

… you know, dead.

 

Hope’s Peak Academy was quite the school, Hinata had to admit. First, the campus was huge, and colorful. Kirigiri helpfully pointed at some shops, telling him what kind of service they delivered. ( “If you liked the brownie Nanami brought earlier, you should check  _ A thousand sweets _ , it’s where it comes from”, had he said, tilting his head in the direction of a very pink, very pretty store ). All around them, happy people were wandering around. They all looked young, beautiful, and happy, the kind you only see in the adds on TV, but that you never cross path with in the real world.

 

Hinata really did his best to not feel like he was the only true person in a world of fiction as Kirigiri lead them toward a large building.

 

“It’s the dormitories,” the Headmaster informed him. “I thought you might want to rest a little for today - dying is always hard on the nerves. You have to meet your roomate, too.”

 

“Roommate…” Hinata mumbled.

 

Right, Kirigiri had said so earlier. He anxiously threw a last look at the schoolyards, where the happy, shiny people from Hope’s Peak were enjoying the warm, perfect weather. Earlier in Kirigiri’s office, Nanami had seemed more real than these people were. Was one of them his roomate ? Hinata didn’t  _ hate _ people, but saying he loved them might be a little too much. He was used to be alone, in the small flat that he worked hard to pay, and he didn’t know how well he would adjust to a communal life.

 

“Don’t worry,” Kirigiri told him with a comforting laugh, having apparently felt how anxious he was. “Hope’s Peak rooms aren’t exactly your traditional two-person closet. You and your roommate will have plenty of place to live without walking on the other’s feet.”

 

Hinata didn’t say anything, but the tension in his shoulders decreased a little as he boarded on the elevator, and watched the headmaster push the button to the fourth floor. The hallways of the building were definitely broader, and longer, than the ones in any other school he has ever been in. Kirigiri finally stopped near the end of it, in front of the door 451. Smiling, he knocked on the door.

 

“Kazuichi ?” He called. “It’s Jin Kirigiri. I’m here with your new roommate, and he would like to meet you.”

 

They both heard shuffling from inside the room, and a few curse words that Hinata hadn’t expected to hear in a place like Hope’s Peak - sure, this place seemed to belong to a TV show alright, but the G-rated kind, in his opinion.

 

Finally, the door opened to reveal a pink-haired young man, wearing a jumpsuit over what seemed to be a military shirt.

 

“Hey !” He grinned at them, before focusing his attention. “So you’re Hajime ? Nice to meet you, roomate !”

 

Hinata tentatively smiled back, relieved that the person he would share his room with was… normal, at first sight. Well, a little flashy and dumb, if Hinata followed his first impression, but it was fine. Hinata sometimes felt like he had dealt with dumb people his entire life, and he didn’t see why his death should be any different.

 

They entered the room, and Hinata was forced to admit that Kirigiri was right : the room was more a full-on appartement than a room, per say. They were in some kind of living room/kitchen, and he could see a door on the right leading to the bathroom. The bedrooms were on the back and - Hinata almost started a victory dance when he noticed - there seemed to be two of them.

 

“Kazuichi here is an amazing mechanist,” Kirigiri introduced him with a proud smile. “I’m sure you’ll have the occasion to talk about it more, but he definitely helped to make the world a better place. As for Hinata… he is someone even  _ I _ felt intimidated meeting, to be honest.”

 

Hinata grimaced while Kazuichi nodded along, as if it was totally normal. “Cool stuff. Nice to meet you then, I sure hope we’ll become friends.”

 

“Splendid !” Kirigiri commented. “That’s the spirit ! Two bright, hopeful mind meeting in this place can only lead to good things, right ?”

 

“Haha,” Hinata laughed in return, praying for it to not come out too uncomfortable. “It sure does, Headmaster Kirigiri.”

 

“Alright, then !” Kirigiri clapped his hands. “I’m sorry to abandon you, boys, but running this Academy isn’t a half-time job, believe it or not. Heaven might be the messiest administration of all !” He added as a small joke - Hinata and Kazuichi both politely smiled at it. “I’m going to let you know each other, and I’ll see you soon. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to come and talk to me if you need anything. Don’t forget that you can also call Nanami anytime, anywhere in this Academy. Our wish is for you to feel at home here, believe me.”

 

Hinata and Kazuichi bowed at him, and Jin Kirigiri disappeared in the hallway, leaving them alone. Hinata felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders : he hadn’t noticed how stressful the Headmaster’s presence has been until now.

 

“So,” Kazuichi said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s nice to meet you, really. I guess we should make up some rules or something, so we can live peacefully together or whatever, right ? First, I have to admit II don’t do well before 11 AM, so I hope you’re not the kind of person who wakes up earl…  _ hey, are you listening to me _ ?”

 

Hinata was not, actually, listening at all. He put his ear against the heavy door of their room, trying to perceive anything indicating that there was still someone outside. As he couldn’t hear anything, he opened the door, as slowly as possible, and as little as possible, just so he could throw an eye outside. The hallway was completely empty, and he let out of an anxious breath before closing the door and locking it up.

 

“What the hell are you doing ?” Kazuichi frowned. “Are you neurotic or something ?”

 

Hinata turned toward his roomate, a serious expression on his face.

 

“Kazuichi, can I trust you ?”

 

Taken aback by the question and Hinata’s change in behaviour, the mechanist needed a second to find his words.

 

“Sure ?” He replied, hesitantly. Then, with more confidence. “Hey, I’m your roommate, now. We are in this crazy place together, so, sure, you can trust me.”

 

Hinata didn’t seem very convinced.

 

“Do you promise that no matter what I say, you won’t tell to anyone ?” He asked again, more urgently.

 

Kazuichi was even more confused.

 

“Are you gay ?” He asked - and Hinata had to use all his self-control to not scream because of course this was where this dumb pink-haired roommate of his immediately went. “Hey, it’s cool if you are, just tell me so I don’t leave the shower naked, right ?”

 

Hinata rolled his eyes at that.  _ Because you  _ **_do_ ** _ intend to walk around naked if I’m straight ? What kind of logic is that ? _

 

“Can you focus for one second ?” Hinata said, exasperated. “I’m talking about something really serious, and something that I have to tell you about, but before I do, I have to be sure that you’ll keep it between us.”

 

Kazuichi blinked twice, then mercifully stopped playing around. “Hum, okay then. I promise I’ll keep my mouth shut. Shoot, I can take anything you throw at me.”

 

Hinata took a deep breath, feeling anxiety bumbling under his skin. He knew he couldn’t hide this to the person he was going to be living with, anyway. Kazuichi might not have been the brightest crayon in the box, but Hinata wasn’t a good liar - he could get away with a few made-up stories, but he couldn’t keep up a lie for too long - and the other would eventually piece things out…

 

“I…” He began, before suddenly stop.

 

Kazuichi looked always more perplexed at Hinata’s behaviour.

 

_ Urgh, you are not going to make it easy for me, are you ? _

 

“I’m not…” He started again, looking straight at his roomate. “I’m not who they think they are. I’m not an artist, I’m not a diplomat, I never did anything important or world-changing in my life. Kirigiri mixed up my file, or there was a problem with the administration, or  _ something else _ ,  _ anything else _ but…” He stopped talking, and between gritted teeth, admitted what he had been hiding since Kirigiri had told him about the Hopeful Place.

 

“I shouldn’t be here.”


End file.
